


Faces

by Aidaran, StarTravel



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Bajor, Bajoran Culture, Bajoran traditions, Developing Relationships, Espionage, Established Relationship, Flashbacks, Garak and Julian being amazing spies, Garak complaining about everything, Investigation, Julian training as a spy, M/M, Mystery, Undercover Missions, Undercover as Family, before the augmentation becomes public, cardassian medical procedures, mentions of bombing a bajoran town, posing as another species, seducing a target, somewhere between seasons 3 and 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:21:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24796879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aidaran/pseuds/Aidaran, https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarTravel/pseuds/StarTravel
Summary: Going undercover to a small town in Bajor, Julian, Kira and Garak find a young vedek astoundingly similar to Kira. Could she be...? and what's going on in that town? what are they trying to hide?-----Garak wrinkled his nose for what felt like the thousandth time. It didn't help at all that everybody looked at his face every time he did so. Or that his ear itched and he was certainly worried not even surgery would help it regain its form. And his shoulders. Was wool supposed to be that rough? This certainly was akin torture.Julian stood close to him, brushing a hand against his and he tried to provide some comfort. He knew this must be hard for Garak. Even just wearing clothes. He had to give extensive treatment to his skin after all. “Your eyes aren’t the same either. I’m sorry that keeping their natural color would have raised suspicions.”"Oh, yes, I think I gathered that too. What about the hole in my ear? What kind of barbarians pierce their ears, Julian? And before you answer to that, yes, I believe your race is barbaric for doing that to their newborns. All of you in this ship are barbarians."
Relationships: Elim Garak & Kira Nerys, Jadzia Dax & Benjamin Sisko, Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Comments: 28
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> We had this one sitting on our drive for quite a good time, and one of the reasons was... we had a good name for it, but it turned out to be the one of another fic so we scrapped it and then ran out of ideas. Oh well, now we're back on track with this story!

Garak wrinkled his nose for what felt like the thousandth time. It didn't help at all that everybody looked at his face every time he did so. Or that his ear itched and he was certainly worried not even surgery would help it regain its form. And his shoulders. Was wool supposed to be  _ that _ rough against his skin? This certainly was akin torture.

Julian stood close to him, brushing a hand against his and he tried to provide some comfort. He knew this must be hard for Garak. Even just wearing clothes. He had to give extensive treatment to his skin after all. “Your eyes aren’t the same either. I’m sorry that keeping their natural color would have raised suspicions.”

"Oh, yes, I think I gathered that too. What about the hole in my ear? What kind of barbarians pierce their ears, Julian? And before you answer to that, yes, I believe your race is barbaric for doing that to their newborns. It's not as if their skin is as thick as cardassian.”He pointed dramatically at each of his ears with one finger. “All of you in this ship are barbarians." Yes, definitely he was in a terrible mood.

“Well, my parents didn’t pierce my ears, but certainly it’s hardly barbaric considering it hasn’t caused pain in centuries. Babies get anaesthetic when they get theirs.” Julian murmured as he squeezed his hand, making sure to not to make too much pressure, in case the skin was tender there too.

"It caused enough pain to me." Garak hissed at the feeling of Julian's hand. Too much. Everything was too much. The clothes, the terrible accessories in his ear, the light sensitivity the eye intervention caused, even the distorted the sounds felt with his ears reshaped into... that. He snapped, but his voice sounded more pitiful than angry. "Did you scrape my skin or what?"

“No! Human and Bajoran skin is... fragile, compared to Cardassian’s. I’m afraid I couldn’t maintain the texture if I wanted the disguise to be believable, so it’s logical that you feel sore. Going from Cardassian to non-armored species is not an easy transition.”

"I think you added nerves I didn't have before. How can you even tolerate going through life like this? I think I can even hear your brain working." he scrunched his nose again, and just resisted the urge to touch it again. His forehead felt empty and too light, too. The high pitched sounds seemed to pierce him to the bone.

Going from Bajoran to Cardassian was easier, as Kira recalled. Her skin felt numb, her hearing too low and muted, but all in all, it was clear Garak was suffering a lot more than she had when she had that Iliana identity forced on her.

"I think you look better than ever, Garak. Being Bajoran suits you." Kira raised an eyebrow, giving him a lopsided smile. Honestly, as much as she tried, it was hard to feel sorry for him.

Garak gave her a cold look, raising his eyebrow and hating the lack of weight. He felt those... furry things in his face could just get into his hairline, now with such a low starting line. How could Julian even stand being himself? “Tell me again why you and I need to be here, Major?”

She sighed. They had this conversation so many times already, she was sure he was doing it only to annoy her at this point. "Because I am the one who found the cell we're infiltrating, and you know how to get information out of people. Besides, I think it will be educational for you to live as a Bajoran for a couple days."

“Because you think I didn’t properly understand how easily your skin bruised?”

Julian took a step between them and held his hands up. “Don’t fight, we’re all on the same side this time.”

"Because I think you still don't quite understand how bad the occupation was." She muttered between clenched teeth. She had told Sisko this was a bad idea,  _ she had _ . Garak would make sure to get them all on edge all the time as revenge, she just knew it.

“Maybe not.” Garak allowed, because if nothing else, that may be true. It hadn’t been something he approved of, but it also hadn’t been something he’d stopped, and he knew the burden he carried with him.

She nodded. At least that was something, coming from Garak. "So, let's go through the plan once more. Rumors say a radical cell is hiding here, but reports are contradictory and the local enforcement may be compromised, so we need to investigate, and I'd rather get a confession and capture them alive, let justice deal with them. Julian and I will be the young pilgrims, and Garak our father, a pious and mild man." Prophets, who gave him that role? It sounded like a bad joke, having him impersonate her own father. "We'll have one week to gain the village trust and find where and  _ what  _ they hide, and we won't resort to violence unless it is inevitable, which is why Garak and doctor Bashir are with us. Dax and captain Sisko here will take care of the science and investigation part, and try to intercept any calls to the other cells. Cardassian influence is currently suspected."

Everybody nodded, except Garak, who raised a hand and waited fastidiously with it in the air until everybody was looking at him.

“Yes, Garak?” She crossed her arms and resigned herself to yet another problem.

“Excuse me, do I have to be your  _ father _ ?”

"You could be my grandfather, your choice."

“I... I wasn’t objecting to being  _ your  _ father, Major.”

"Then I wasn't commenting on your age, Garak."

“Of course not. I just meant that, being that the doctor and I...” he glanced at Julian pointedly.

"Yes, please, I'd rather not know what you two are doing."

“Oh, Major, I think you know full well what we do, which is why assigning me this role is such an insult. If I’m to respect your traditions, you should as well respect my sensibilities.”

"Can we all focus?" Sisko roared, and scratched his nose as well. One thing was being the Emissary, another one was having a Bajoran nose plastered to his face. "You're all a family, you will follow the roles you were assigned, and now you'll walk to the village  _ smiling _ . I am not thrilled to be Dax's husband either."

“Of course not. Sorry, Captain. We’ll play nice.” Julian smiled crookedly and took a step away from Garak and Kira. “Shall we, father, sister?”

"Watch your tone, or your older sister will kick you." she warned.

“Of course, of course. So sorry.” Julian followed them across the base to the shuttle that would take them down to the planet.

Garak kept looking at his reflection and trying to keep from scratching his nose or pulling his earrings all the trip to the surface. Really. How did some agents manage to infiltrate Bajor, it was beyond him. And to think the wire had been annoying.

He'd do his job, of course, and be perfect at it, but it didn't mean it was comfortable and that he’d be happy with it.

Julian rolled his eyes and swallowed down any snarky remarks. He supposed he needed to respect his father. Julian also knew that once he mentioned that, Garak would give him the coldest look ever, and he was looking forward to the discussion that would follow, so it was best to do that without people around. There were already enough rumors about them going around to also add public indecency.

Once they arrived, Garak's attitude changed immediately. It was clear why he was regarded as one of the best Obsidian operatives. He charmed everybody as they walked to the temple, speaking a perfect Bajoran, smiled all the way, and, more importantly, avoided tugging at his ears or scratching his nose.

“May you point us to the Prophets home? We’re just humble travelers, and our legs hurt from walking from so afar.” People smiled and gave Garak instructions he didn’t need. He knew exactly where each building was, and exactly who each person was, but he wanted  _ them _ to know him.

Julian watched with quiet amazement, not saying anything back. He followed him quietly, afraid to say much. His role was one of an obedient son, anyway, so walking behind him and with his head down was just part of it. If it happened to be because he wanted to avoid smiling with pride, no Bajoran needed to know.

“I can’t tell you how grateful we are, my children and I. Oh, may we impose on you once more and ask if there’s any inn that would shelter us for the night? Thank you so much, may the Prophets bless you.”

Even Kira seemed honestly amazed at Garak. It had taken her months of painful work just to locate the cell and pierce all the information together, to get the people to even  _ talk _ about what was happening. And that damn Garak in just a couple of minutes had managed to get all the information needed to traverse the town, and to make sure everybody knew a group of travelers was visiting. It seemed obvious his insufferable attitude on the station was born out of spite, not lack of ability, as he seemed a different person now.

“Yes, we’d be thrilled to go to your shop for hasperat, my lady. You’re incredibly generous with my family.”

When they arrived at their destination, Garak looked around as if placing eyes on the temple was the most wondrous thing he’d ever experienced. His placid smile showed nothing but good intention and the most pious attitude.

Julian tried to follow his lead, though he knew his own skills were woefully lacking. The monks at the door greeted him and he took one step forward. He knew his role as the heir of the family, he’d practiced this with Kira. “Father has been wanting to come here for months. I hope you’ll let us travelers enter your house.”

The vedeks smiled. "Are you on a pilgrimage? Perhaps a promise to fulfill?"

“Yes, yes. We’re here to do one last pilgrimage before my dear children take the next step in their education, so we decided to take a longer road this time to meet the Prophets.” Garak gave them a fond look.

"You haven't been here before, have you?"

“No, this is our first time visiting your esteemed temple. I promised their mother to bring her here one day, but I’m afraid I’m fulfilling my promise after her departure to reunite with our gods.”

"Which region are you coming from?"

Kira didn't like the interrogation. Monks never asked personal questions to travelers, it was considered rude and invasive. What was going on? She was worried Garak would make a mistake, and yet, he seemed so incredibly prepared for the mission. It was astounding.

“From Cillale.” Garak answered back easily, quickly falling into a warm conversation about the unique wool made there. Even his Cilla accent was perfect. Julian watched closely, trying to keep his own face polite and still, respectful.

"And your daughter? She's certainly a quiet child, so unlike today's ladies." The monks turned their attention to Kira. "Women nowadays are all so brash and aggressive."

“Of course, fighting for the freedom of our whole planet has certainly given us all more reason to be so.” Kira answered them in a slightly strained voice. The interrogation was getting her on edge. Vedeks were supposed to give advice and guidance, not do small talk and insult people.

Garak made a reassuring gesture, as if calming down a hotheaded daughter. "You'll have to excuse my child. I assure you, her faith is strong even if she's not willing to follow the caste we were born into." Garak bowed so that the vedeks would not see the amused glint in his eyes. Despite their differences, he liked Kira's willingness to always stand her ground.

“I’m sure.” The vedek said with just a hint of disbelief as he led them across the temple.

A woman around Kira's age received them, smiling and bowing. The resemblance was quite astounding, even if their hair was a different color, pitch black, not unlike the most common color on Cardassia, and certainly longer than Kira’s. "My name is Neria. Follow me, please, if you might."

They followed her, Kira smiling warmly as she glanced at the women, curious about their resemblance and if it was by chance or if... maybe...

Garak crossed his eyes with Kira and nodded almost imperceptibly. He was thinking the same thing. It was no coincidence they looked so alike. Something was definitely going on in this temple.

Julian nodded as he took a step closer to her, smiling sheepishly. “Can you tell me more about the temple? I have to admit I love the old architecture. This temple... pre Cardassian, I imagine?”

"Of course. I don't know the whole story of this place but I can point you to the most important parts of it." She started to talk, guiding him, and, it seemed, almost flirting.

“That would be most appreciated.” Julian said back, smiling widely, with just a touch of flirtatiousness in his own voice.

Kira and Garak followed, heads bowed and listening closely. There was a bit of an accent in that girl, but they couldn’t quite figure out from where.

At the end of the visit, Neria turned to them all with a warm smile, standing a bit closer to Julian that was strictly necessary. “Here, this is the end of the tour. Would you like to have lunch with us monks?”

"Maybe later. For now we'd like to pray for some minutes." Garak conveyed softly. "But afterwards we'd be delighted to join you."

“Of course. We’ll leave you to your prayers and reflection now.”

Once they were alone, Garak muttered to them in Federation standard. "Keep your roles. We may be observed."

To Kira amazement, his domain of the Bajoran rituals was perfect. Hadn't she known, she'd have thought he was a real Bajoran. Every movement was precise, every word perfectly intonated.

“Yes, father.” Julian did his best to imitate Garak, though he threw in a few slips there and there, a knee bent too low, a smile too knowing. All in all, if they were observed, probably nobody would have noticed anything off with Julian. If anything, an eagerness to please the Prophets that resulted in a bit of a rush. He’d worked hard on his role too.

Once the rite was done, Garak stood and his ‘children’ followed suit. "Shall we go impose on the generosity of our hosts?"

“Yes, that sounds wonderful. I was looking forward to talking to Neria. She was quite clever.”

"Yes, certainly a charming young lady, son." Garak nodded. Julian had picked it up too. There was something wrong with her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The investigation continues, and Sisko and Jadzia find some disturbing evidence there may very well be a long going conspiracy going on.
> 
> \----
> 
> _"Yes, but not that kind of smiles. You need to know what the other person will think of you all the time. You need to always be ahead in this game."_
> 
> _"So, you're insufferable because you want to be, not because it’s just how nature decided to punish you." Kira chimed in, half a smile on her face._
> 
> _“Because it helps me to get what I want on the ship, yes. Very perceptive of you, Major.”_
> 
> _She rolled her eyes, but had to admit it was true. He had gotten everything he wanted on the station, including the doctor. In the end he always managed to go away with whatever he was scheming._
> 
> _“Oh, so what you’re saying is that’s not really how you’d act alone?”_
> 
> _"Who knows, major. Who knows." He was quite sure he looked less mysterious with that ridged nose and soft skin, a lot less menacing with that low hairline and fluffy eyebrows. But still, he tried his best to look every bit the spy everybody hated on the station._

While Julian, Garak and Kira investigated the temple, Dax and Sisko posed as cathedratics, visiting the town's government house to look into historical records. There was only so much information they could obtain while on the station, but what they had gathered clearly didn’t make sense. The numbers didn’t match, the population had followed unexpected growing and shrinking patterns, and the files on the occupation seemed sketchy to say the least.

A middle aged Bajoran greeted them when they entered the building. The earrings in his ears were less intricate than the ones in Dax and Sisko’s, showing he was probably from one of the lower castes. Their research showed this region was very traditional, so they had spent a long time making sure they knew how to talk according to the earrings they were given.

The man bowed lightly to them. “May I help you?”

Jadzia smiled dreamily, hand in Sisko’s arm. "I just love the smell of old books, don't you, dear husband?"

“Of course. Just the scent of history, and the pages themselves. Each one holds a million fingerprints, a million memories. They’re not just books. They’re more than that, they are the story of our people.”

"So, we wanted to research for a project. We're investigating family lineages before and after the occupation. We’re trying to recreate the story of our people, the way we migrated." She flashed the most charming smile at the librarian.

“Of course, that’s an important topic. We all must do what we can to avoid losing our history. The Cardassians took so much from us already.” The librarian shook his head, expression grim.

"Yes, which is why we've been traveling for several months already, gathering data, but still our records are so incomplete." She showed him a pad. They had made sure the information was accurate enough to help them infiltrate, but not too much to raise suspicions, as they needed to figure out who were the agents inside the town. The government building, with its expansive library, had seemed a good place to research and check if the records were as inconsistent as their sources had made them seem.

“Oh, fascinating. I’ll lead the way, we hardly get any visitors. Are you historians by trade, or simply interested in preserving family ties?”

"Interested, which made us become sort of historians along the way. We hope to be able to travel to the Federation libraries to further our knowledge one day."

“Of course. Here, let me lead you to our collection.”

“Thank you.” Jadzia said warmly as she took Sisko’s hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

Once they were alone, they started to read and copy documents, comparing dates with the ones in their pads. The librarian popped in several times, asking them if they needed anything, making them discreetly hide their tools as they accepted tea, answered banal questions, told their made-up stories, all while feeling themselves jump at every noise.

After some hours of working and careful scanning, Sisko was about to scream. "There must be some registries here that either don't make sense or look forged."

The documents were ordered neatly, some in a far too pristine condition, others quite deteriorated, but if they were fake, they'd been planted several years ago. This was not a new conspiracy. If something was really off in this town, this was a nest that had been dormant for years.

“Maybe. We’ll have to go over the data more thoroughly when we’re back at the runabout. Something is off here, I’m just not sure what. The records are far too neat for an occupied town, Benjamin.”

They kept scanning, running the pages through an algorithm O’Brien had prepared for them, when something dawned on Sisko. He kept seeing a name over and over, but it shouldn’t be there. It didn’t make sense.

"Wait. This name. Neria. Is it a very common family name? because I remember reading about the whole Neria family being slaughtered, old man."

“... were they? I think I remember Kira mentioning something like that too, Benjamin. About how certain bloodlines were destroyed and survivors changed their name. Keep following that trail.”

"Is there anything else we can do for you?" the librarian interrupted their conversation. Was it a trick of the light, or he seemed distinctly less harmless and small than before?

“Oh, no, we were just talking about how exciting it is to see so many members of our friends’ family trees documented here. My dear husband just found a family we suspect spawned from her cousins!”

"Really? what's your family's name?" Yes, definitely his stance was not one of a mild and a bit bored government employee.

“Meira.” Sisko answered with a warm smile, turning to face the librarian. Kira and Garak had helped them develop a full backstory for their characters, including the accent and anything that could be asked by any nosy Bajoran. If there was Cardassian influence, the stakes were too high to risk them being exposed.

"I'm not familiar with it. Are you from afar?" the librarian seemed awfully interested.

Jadzia smiled openly. They had made sure to choose a region that was separated by an inner sea, and far enough for them not to be related to Garak and his children. “Oh, somewhat. We’re from the Coresca region.”

"You're far from home." Was it curiosity, or was there an edge of warning?

“Yes, we wanted to really explore the history of all of Bajor. Isn’t that right, dear?”

Sisko patted her hand. “The only way to know all Bajor’s children is to travel all the lands.”

"Of course. But you should be careful, there are many dangers still in Bajor." Yes, definitely the librarian was threatening them. His voice was too honeyed, too soft. “One can never be too cautious when wandering these lands, you know.”

“Of course. Thank you for your advice.” Sisko shook his hand, his own voice calm and cool, and yet with a certain edge as well.

Once they were back on the ship, Dax turned to Sisko. "What the hell was that."

“That, old man, was someone who knows he’s been caught but can’t do anything about it yet. I think they know those documents are forged. An extremely good forgery, and one that dates years back from our initial estimate.”

"I think we have a bigger problem than what the original reports suggested."

“I think you’re right, I think we’re looking at a conspiracy here. The question is whose.”

Julian, Kira and Garak arrived at their runabout minutes later, Julian practically buzzing with excitement, his ridged nose scrunching as he tried to force his face to stay still and not show all his emotions at once in front of his crewmates. “Garak, you’re magnificent.”

"Just doing my job, my dear."

“And you’re amazing at it. No one would’ve guessed that you’re not a Bajoran professor, you were flawless.”

"It was not that much, my dear. Just a bit of research, and a lot of smiles."

They both knew it was more than that, but then again, the rest of the crew had no idea Julian knew Garak’s secrets better than either of them admitted. For all they knew, the doctor was still the same excitable young man he’d always been.

“I did plenty of research, and I think I smiled at least as often as you.“ He poked him playfully at the chest.

"Yes, but not that kind of smiles. You need to know what the other person will think of you all the time. You need to always be ahead in this game."

"So, you're insufferable because you want to be, not because it’s just how nature decided to punish you." Kira chimed in, half a smile on her face.

“Because it helps me to get what I want on the ship, yes. Very perceptive of you, Major.”

She rolled her eyes, but had to admit it was true. He had gotten everything he wanted on the station, including the doctor. In the end he always managed to go away with whatever he was scheming.

“Oh, so what you’re saying is that’s not really how you’d act alone?”

"Who knows, major. Who knows." He was quite sure he looked less mysterious with that ridged nose and soft skin, a lot less menacing with that low hairline and fluffy eyebrows. But still, he tried his best to look every bit the spy everybody hated on the station.

Julian waited until Kira sat down on her side of the runabout. Then he sat closer to Garak, frowning a bit. “I can start undoing some of it now, if you’d like. The less... intensive cosmetic changes. Those who can be redone easily tomorrow. I’m afraid I can’t give you back your scales but I can help with your sight and hearing, leasen the tenderness of the skin.”

"Can you take that monstrosity out of my ear, then?"

“Yes, yes. Here.” Julian gently removed the earring, setting it aside before he started working on the ear itself, closing the small holes carefully.

"Anyway, don't remove everything, we'll have to go in tomorrow again." Garak sighed. "I'd rather sleep looking like a Bajoran than go through all the procedure again in the morning."

“Of course. I’ll just do a bit of your face, just enough for your senses to be a bit less overwhelmed. Just enough that those lovely eyes aren’t hidden.” He said the last sentence with a bit of a mocking in his voice, but there was definitely something soft and honest there.

Kira rolled her eyes and moved as far as she could. She still couldn't quite stomach it, even if all the station had known of their affair for months now. They haven’t been exactly discreet in public. "So, captain, any idea where the base is hidden?"

“Not yet, though a few leads said it was in the south. I believe those were either vastly wrong, or consciously deceiving, as something about the families and temple records don’t add up. How about you, Major?”

"Garak gave us plenty of information but I suspect the vedeks gave it a bit too easily, and I'm sure he noticed that as well. The monastery is a facade. Not all the monks, but enough to mount an operation, that for sure."

“You think something else is going on here then. How are the three of you handling it? I know the two of you will pick up on anything suspicious ...”

Kira looked at the pair, talking in a low voice at each other. Julian looked every inch his innocent self, all smiles and wide eyed. She had noticed Garak looking around while Julian just chatted amicably with the young monk that looked so much like her.

"Doctor Bashir is oblivious, but I believe Garak must be explaining it to him right now. He certainly noticed something was amiss with some of the vedeks. There was one... Neria. She looked remarkably like me."

“I thought you said the Neria perished. We found records about that family on the library.”

Kira read the reports, shaking her head. This was all bulshit.

“There shouldn’t be none, that family was destroyed. Which is why I believe we’ll have to be more cautious tomorrow when we go back. I’ll make sure the doctor is aware of this new situation.”

“Good, major. We need all of you paying attention. Protect yourselves. I fear soon they’ll make a move, and I think they already know we’re not just travelers.”

"Yes, Garak got to the same conclusion."

“You think they’re all lying to us?” Julian asked with a shocked gaze once he finished removing Garak’s makeup and they both went with the rest of the crew. “We suspected some may be compromised, but all of them?”

"Yes. Those were not vedeks. They moved like them, but it was obvious it was something they learned recently, not something they've done every day of their lives for years. There were subtleties there. Their intonations sounded wrong, and they were a bit slow to fall on their knees, among other things." Garak said, nodding. 

“Right. I thought so, they were a bit slower than me.” He knew exactly how much each had been. He’d timed them, filed their reactions, classified them in his mind. But no one needed to know that.

"The way they moved, probably their knees are used to marching straight, as soldiers. Not even fighters like Kira. Those are soldiers, infiltrated. Perhaps even sleeper agents. As Kira here knows, my people had a penchant for planting the less... refined, agents in such a way. Those who couldn’t act and infiltrate like me were given fake identities, full lives for them to have in their heads.”

Julian looked thoughtful. “So they might not even know? Brainwashed? We need to help them then.“

"So they discover they are either Cardassians or Romulan?"

Sisko looked at him pensively. “Are those your main hypotheses, mister Garak?”

"Well, I'm pretty sure there's a conspiracy going on, and those are both the best at it. Humans and Klingon tend to be quite crude at infiltrating, even if I heard reports of Klingon sometimes managing to have success in that area, and Vulcans consider it unbecoming. Other civilizations have not the slightest interest in your people, major, excuse me for saying so, no offense. Just facts."

Kira shook her head. As if that would ever be true. “None taken. So Bajor is under attack. That makes Cardassia more likely, historically speaking. We don’t have anything Romulans could want.”

"You think my people are trying to regain the territory? My guess is that there's nothing that nefarious going on, probably they just want to steal an orb or something like that. Anyway, we'll find out soon enough."

“ _ Just _ .”

“Well, major, they could very well be plotting an assasination, so just trying to steal a relic doesn’t seem that bad, does it?” Garak gave her his most innocent smile, earning a sharp glare from the major. 

They all said their goodbyes, retiring to their quarters to replicate a meal and either analyze data or rest, but Garak grabbed Julian’s arm as he walked by, lopsided smile in his mostly still Bajoran face. "Leaving me alone already?"

Julian wiggled his eyebrows, playfully. He was so grateful there was no one else on the bridge to watch them now. “Oh, so you’re looking for company?”

"Well, I certainly feel tender with this horrible skin you plastered on me. You can't leave a patient suffering, can you?"

Julian hooked his arm to Garak’s, walking him to their shared quarters. Jadzia smiled and gave him a thumbs up as they walked the corridors, while Kira rolled her eyes.

They entered their quarters and Julian programmed the replicator for something light for them to drink. “Of course not. What would make you feel better? I know that this skin is more delicate than you’re used to.”

"Yes, but... I don't feel cold. One good thing had to come from this, I guess. I haven’t been on the outside and not felt cold in far too many ages." He got inside the bed, a copy of the pads Sisko and Dax had brought back in his hand and gestured to Julian to get to his side.

Julian slid into the bed next to him and handed him a tea, frowning a bit, expression playful. “Does that mean you don’t want to cuddle? I’m a bit cold.”

“I want to cuddle, just... it's an interesting feeling, scales not tingling. I can feel my hair going up with the cold in my arms. I can’t imagine how you manage to live with that, it is so unbecoming."

“I can imagine.” Julian finished his tea and pulled Garak closer, pressing one hand against his cheek once both mugs were securely left in the small table.

"Every feeling seems... wrong. Weird. My skin is not as it should be, I have hairs in places I didn’t even imagine I could have hair." Garak huffed, but made sure Julian was close to him.

“I know.” Julian kissed his cheek, then along his eyeline. “So do I really know you? The real you, not just the face you put up to annoy the major and everyone else?”

"I'm not even sure I know myself, so really, that is not an easy to answer question." His tone was mocking though, deflecting. Julian knew it well. It was the tone that told him he’d been allowed closer than anybody before.

Julian grinned brightly and leaned over and kissed him, eyes flashing with delight. “Because you know I do.”

"I also know you actually caught all those things I told you before, and you're just playing dumb with Kira and the others. You knew those weren't vedeks. You put up a face just as much as I do, only I am a bit more open about doing so."

Julian relaxed into his hold, shaking his head against one of the ridges he uncovered on his neck. Most of them were still under the fake skin, but the most important ones were out, to allow the Cardassian man to find a comfortable position to sleep. 

“I did, yes. But I did truly think they might be brainwashed against their will.”

"Maybe. But all my years in secret service make me feel inclined to believe they knew full well what they were doing when they underwent surgery and conditioning, Julian. We know what we’re getting into when we do those things."

“I... maybe. I suppose I’m a bit biased there. I know how it is to have to hide against one’s will.”

"You still believe too much in people to be a good agent, you know." Garak tone was short, but there was something fond. The kind of tone no one else on the station would ever know he was able to convey.

“Hmm, well, I’ll have to work on getting rid of more of those silver linings.” Julian teased back, but with tenderness as he pressed his face more against the scale. “But I know people can change. I have proof all around me.”

"Maybe. I just don't trust sleepers. Never did."

“Fair enough. Did you ever wonder if I was a sleeper agent, not just a man with secrets?”

"Who says I didn't test you?" he winked, and again the weight of his eye just felt wrong.

“I’m sure you did. Why else would have seduced me so thoroughly when you could’ve had me the first night?”

"Oh, but where's the thrill of that?"

“True, true. And then we wouldn’t be so close now.”

"Oh yes, I'm sure you'd have gotten bored pretty soon."

“Or you would have.”

"Maybe." Garak snuggled closer, one hand brushing through Julian’s hair softly. "Rest. Tomorrow will not be an easy day."

“No, maybe not. But at least soon will be the last time you’ll have to wear an earring.”

"Good riddance." he rolled his eyes, and slowly fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are love!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Kira's eyes, a weird scene unfolds: Julian seducing the Bajoran woman, while Garak looks proudly at him. What's going on?
> 
> \-------
> 
> _"You just fear I may be a better spy than you."_
> 
> _“Maybe. Then you wouldn’t need me at all.”_
> 
> _"I don't know, I like the feel of your scales, so I may want to keep you." Julian now was fully sprawled over Garak, smiling and giving him his sweetest look._
> 
> _“Good, good. So for the first lesson, seducing your target.”_
> 
> _"Oh, as I did with you?" Julian moved faster than a human should be strictly able to and straddled him, chuckling softly._
> 
> _“Yes, but someone less like me. Someone who wasn’t seducing you already.”_
> 
> _"Someone with bad taste, you mean?"_
> 
> _“Let’s call it that.” Suddenly Garak looked utterly disinterested in him, hands folding behind his head._
> 
> _"Oh, this will be fun." Julian's whole attitude changed, suddenly looking innocent and a bit lost. "Excuse me, I seem to have missed my shuttle."_

2 years ago.

_ Julian sat across from Garak in his quarters, legs crossed and swallowing tightly. He loved him. He loved him and he was lying to him constantly. _

_ And what's more, Garak seemed... angry. Angry at him for not letting him die because of that horrific implant in his brain. Angry at him for doing what he had to do to save him. _

_ "I told you to let me die, to let that wire consume me! why would you go to Cardassia of all places, for me! Don't you realize the kind of danger you were exposed to?" _

_ “You mean by meeting Tain? I know, I’m not quite as naive as you all think. I made a choice, Garak. I chose you. I didn’t want to let you die.” He took his face in his hands, shielding his eyes to avoid watching Garak’s rage. What had he done wrong this time, why was Garak angry? Did even Garak think he was a fool who never measured the consequences of his actions? Was his mask that good? _

_ "And what if he had decided to kill you? Or implant something in your brain? You have no idea the danger you were in!" _

_ “It wouldn’t be the first time.” Julian scoffed thoughtlessly, shaking his head as he moved closer to Garak. He swallowed tightly, keeping his gaze focused even as he realized what he’d just been about to confess. With any luck Garak hadn't noticed his slip. The thought of even Garak believing his act had somehow loosened his decades long restraint. “I understood the risks. I chose you. You.” _

_ "And I'd rather be dead than risk Tain acquiring you, Julian. And trust me, most of the time I am trying to keep myself alive, despite everything." Then Julian’s words hit him, a strange look coming over Garak’s face. "What happened to your brain?" _

_ Julian opened and closed his mouth a few times, wincing a little. He shouldn’t tell him but — he had risked his life one way for Garak, what was another? His tone was purposefully even when he finally answered. “Have you ever heard of Adigeon Prime, Garak? Do you know what that place is known for?” _

_ Garak's expression gave him nothing. "I heard rumors. They experiment on people." _

_ “Yes. Children mainly. Children who don’t quite measure up to their parents’ expectations. Bring an underachieving child in, take home a better one. That should be their motto, since it is their modus operandi after all.” Julian felt revolted as he remembered the horrors he’d kept down, hidden, for so many years. He wondered if he’d get sick then and there. _

_ "What did they do to you?" Garak's voice was suddenly colored with terror. _

_ Julian swallowed tightly to gulp down the nausea and met his gaze, deciding to trust Garak. If it ruined him, well, at least he’d let himself be the one to bring the destruction to his life, not some nosy Federation doctor finding his files as he’d always feared. “They changed everything about me. I assume you’ve heard about Khan.” _

_ "I heard the experiments that led to his rise were never replicated perfectly." _

_ “Not perfectly but relatively close. Definitely close enough.” Julian told him bluntly, wondering what the best way to show his hand would be. _

_ "What did they do to you?" Garak repeated his question, in a barely audible whisper. Suddenly his eyes showed fear, but not of Julian. Fear  _ for _ Julian, which he supposed was a bit better than what he'd been expecting to get. His hand hovered close to Julian’s face, uncertain. _

_ “They genetically enhanced me. Made it so I couldn’t forget anything, so my mind worked too quickly, too well. I can learn things that take most people months in just minutes. My reflexes are nearly perfect. I have some measure of control over my vital signs if I focus well enough. Oh, and I can do math in my head faster than most of the computers on the ship. I never got to test the real limit of my intellect, nor I intend to find out. It’s too frightening.” _

_ Garak then asked the last thing Julian was expecting to hear, touching his cheek delicately. "Did it hurt?" _

_ Julian made a choked off sound, nodding. Memories of shots, pills, and serums, of sounds too loud and lights too bright, of people he didn’t know, of begging his mother to go back home, all flashed through his mind. “Immensely.” _

_ "I'm so sorry." Garak pulled him closer in a hesitant motion and stroked his hair, hugging him as if his life depended on it. "Does anybody else know about it?" _

_ “No, only my parents. No one else. They made sure to falsify anything that could lead to this being discovered. It is illegal to do such things in the Federation, after all.” Julian leaned into the touch, even as his old insecurities rose in his chest. “Aren’t you angry? Afraid? Disgusted?” _

_ "Why would I be? you were a victim, and I imagine a very young one. You had no say in the matter." _

_ “I — well, yes. I was 6 when they decided I wasn’t fast enough. But I’ve been lying to you for the past two years, every day, every lunch.” _

_ "Well, I lie to you all the time as well. And I think my relationship with Tain is fuzzy, to say the least." _

_ “Is it? What exactly is he to you, Garak?” Julian welcomed the distraction. His head was spinning. _

_ "What would a man be if he revealed all his secrets?" he smiled softly, and Julian felt he'd been left in for the first time by Garak. _

_ “He’d be quite boring.” He pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, cupping his face. “I can read Kardassi, you know. I insist on getting translated copies to seem normal, but I could read the originals.” _

_ "How can you think I'd be disgusted, if you're giving me such amazing news?" Garak disentangled himself a bit to look at Julian's face, hesitant smile on his face. _

_ “Most people aren’t exactly fans of augments. We’re considered trouble at best in the Federation.” _

_ "The Federation is trouble at best, my dear." _

_ Julian grinned at that, shaking his head as he sat up. He leaned back, showing off his better than average flexibility. “And Cardassia isn’t?” _

_ "Probably it is nas well, but at least our literature is better." _

_ “Now we can really argue about that.” _

_ "Good, because the only thing that could offend me is you thinking you have to hold your intelligence back with me. I think we’ll have more fun together than I imagined we would." _

* * *

Next morning, Kira couldn't believe what she was witnessing at the temple. Julian was shamelessly flirting with Neria, in front of Garak, as if it was nothing. And what was worse was that... Garak was smiling placidly. Had the world gone mad?

“Now, now, I’m sure that someone as versed as you are in architecture could tell me about the construction of this column? I’ve noticed it has some small dents that must date from the preoccupation era, when hiding papers with wishes was a tradition.” Julian asked as he lightly touched the inside of Neria’s wrist.

"Oh, I'm barely an amateur." She giggled like a little girl, flushing a bit. She seemed just an ordinary Bajoran girl, and yet... Kira couldn't help wondering. "But I believe this one is dated at least 200 years, so yes, the dents all have small papers inside."

“200? That would mean it‘s from the Angeli period, wouldn’t it? I’ve always found that particular one to be so beautiful. Have you ever seen the classic Angeli opera, Anikirs? You remind me a bit of the lead -“

"The princess? I am a bit short to be her." She giggled again, and Kira glanced at Garak, trying to catch his expression. What the hell was going on?

“Mm, maybe, but height isn’t everything. There’s something to be said for the elegance in a compact figure, don’t you think?”

"I don't think I've ever been called elegant before." She flushed, and Kira noticed Garak was smiling.

“Really? That’s hard to believe.” Julian kept making small talk until they arrived at the end of the room. He smiled warmly at Neria as he took her hand to shake it and held on just a bit too long. “Would you be interested in meeting me for drinks later? I’d love to continue talking about Opera in a less... formal setting.”

"Oh, I... Yes, if that's alright with your father. I wouldn't want to disrespect him." She looked a bit embarrassed and so, so innocent.

Garak put his hand on Julian’s shoulder casually. “Of course not. I’m so happy that my son has made such an... interesting new friend. I look forward to you two getting to know each other better.”

When they were back on the runabout, Kira raised an eyebrow. "What was that with Neria and ' _ meeting later for some drinks _ ,’ Julian? What was going on there?"

“That, Major, was spy work.” Julian looked up at Garak with an adoring expression, practically shaking with nervous energy, bouncing from one foot to the other. “So? How did I do? Was I believable? I made sure to follow all the Bajoran rules about physical contact, and didn't flood her with information so it wouldn't sound too... well, me.”

Garak’s eyes reflected Julian’s adoration, looking at the young man as if he was the most gifted student in his class. "Amazing, my dear, even better than I had expected. I take back all what I said about you not being spy material. I'd leave you alone in the middle of a Romulan embassy without fear of you failing."

Julian frowned a bit, shooting him a curious look. “I was afraid I was coming on a bit too strong. I made sure not to rant about opera too much.”

“Maybe, but you had your father bless you right on the spot, so you can be certain the lady won’t run.”

Kira opened and closed her mouth a couple times, trying to decide on what to say. She knew what they were doing - she was no stranger to people going undercover, even if she didn’t excel at it - but still, having your boyfriend seduce someone right in front of you was … weird. Finally she stared at them. "What."

“Oh, we were... play acting. Garak taught me how to charm people to retrieve information, and apparently I did rather well.” Julian grinned, puffing his chest up a bit and still bouncing lightly.

"You were seducing her in front of him." Kira was still looking at them in mild disbelief, as if expecting them to crack a laughter at her expense at any minute. What kind of screwball plan was that?

"Yes, it was his idea I give it a try. That way he could step in and smooth things over if anything went wrong." Julian grinned brightly.

"I didn't imagine you had it in you, doctor." Jadzia came from behind, her eyes shining as she smirked. "So, seducing innocent girls to get information? That’s rather harsh of you."

"If what I think is true, she's hardly innocent." Garak said, suddenly serious.

Julian frowned a little, gaze sharp as he turned between them. "We all think the same then, that she's one of the sleeper agents?"

"And she looks remarkably like the major. I wouldn't be surprised if as Cardassians they were two drops of water. Enough resemblance to fool even a parent." Garak nodded.

"I was thinking the same. And Julian here's going to what? Check if she's hiding scales underneath her shirt?" Kira looked genuinely interested in the plan now, even if she still looked mildly annoyed.

"Get her to tell him about her past. Make her slip information, or stumble upon a dissonance on her backstory, major.” Garak was all serious now, and there was something akin to sadness in his expression. “Either she thinks she’s Bajoran and she may give him information unknowingly, or she remembers being Cardassian and may get nervous."

“Right. I wish you’d both clued me in to this. I almost started laughing when I saw Julian flirt.”

"Thank you for your faith in me, Major. And we decided it on the fly last night. We weren’t expecting to find her." Julian turned to Dax. "Did you find anything about the Neria family in the Federation database? Something to compare with what we’re seeing here?"

"Plenty."

"Oh?" Garak raised his Bajoran eyebrows, suddenly interested.

"Yes, for starters, the Neria family was practically wiped several years ago during a Cardassian incursion, just as our initial reports said. That’s why the family name sounded so familiar to all of us. We’d read it on some older reports." Sisko’s voice was firm, gaze narrowing as he considered how neatly their information lined up.

“So I take it that it doesn’t quite make sense there are so many in this town. Aside from the young lady Julian is trying to seduce, I believe there were an inn and a woodshop run by Nerias.”

"There shouldn't be any of them anymore. Using the family name of a family that perished like that would be disrespectful to say the least."

“Yes, but convenient if the records aren’t especially public, or public enough to not look forged.” Garak noted.

Jadzia handed them a padd. "The Neria clan were collaborators who fell out of favor of a Gul."

“Well, that explains why their memory isn’t being honored.” Kira scoffed in a low voice. “It’s likely the remaining members of the family would choose a different name."

"And why it was a family name a group of agents could easily take." Garak gave a short nod, frowning as he considered the information.

“Yes, yes. No one would think about it. Especially if the clan was from another region.” Kira added. “Neria sounds like a name you wouldn’t expect in this region, but a bit more to the west.”

Garak thought about it, nodding with a knowing expression. “I wouldn’t be surprised it was that same Gul who decided to use the name. Wouldn’t be so uncommon for one to mock Bajorans like that.”

"The only remaining question, then, is what were they guarding, and if somebody forgot to wake them, or if they’re still waiting to complete their mission." Dax interceded.

“It could be any of them. And if it’s waiting to complete it, we’re quite lucky.” Garak smirked a bit, knowing in his gut that was the most likely answer.

"What do you think their mission is, Mr. Garak?" Sisko turned. Garak had certainly picked up something he had not yet.

“They’re looking for something here. Something they want, which can mean nothing good for Bajor.”

"And you think whatever it is they haven't found it yet."

“No, they wouldn’t be so deep undercover then. Sleepers awake as soon as the target is acquired.”

"Which means if we find it, they will awake. We may have a diplomatic incident on our hands." Sisko looked concerned. Just what they needed, to have Cardassians breathing on their necks.

“Yes, one that could threaten what little agreement there is now in this part of the alpha quadrant.” Jadzia gave a quick nod.

"I'd say the doctor goes on his date tonight, and in the meantime, I call for backup and to Cardassia, so they can come retrieve their lost herd." Sisko wasn’t really looking forward to talking to the Cardassians, but then again, not talking to them would have far worse consequences.

Garak placed his hand on Julian's shoulder, adopting the tone he used for his Bajoran persona. “That sounds about right. And the major and I can supervise his date from afar.”

“Garak! I won’t do anything untoward.” Julian gave him his most horrified face.

Garak took his hands, smiling widely. "Dear, you do whatever you need to do. Spy work and feelings never mix, don't forget that. I won’t."

  
  


* * *

A year and a half ago.

_ "My dear, why do you insist on watching these ridiculous things? Being a spy certainly has nothing to do with... that." Garak was snuggled close to Julian under a blanket, and looked at James Bond as if he had offended him personally. That odd food Julian had insisted on replicating, popcorn, was quite horrible as well, even if he found himself unable to stop eating it for some reason. _

_ Julian snorted and stopped the film, glancing at Garak curiously. "Very well, tell me then how being a spy is." _

_ “First of all, you’re supposed to be invisible, not so obvious that a child could figure out you were trying to get attention.” _

_ "And what if getting attention is a way of diverting it? It worked for me and my enhancements after all." _

_ “Yes, but no one is going to tell you any state secrets, darling.” _

_ Julian leaned closer, expression defiant as he smirked in a way that bordered on the triumphant. "Are you so sure about that? People tell fools all kinds of things, you know. And I am certainly regarded as something of an obnoxious fool by enough people on this station." _

_ “So tell me a secret you know.” _

_ Julian's eyes gleamed with challenge. Oh, he had so much more knowledge in him than Garak suspected. "I know where Quark is buying his Kanar. And I'm pretty sure not even you know that, or else you'd just bypass him, as I've been doing. I know exactly how much you're paying for it, and yet look, I didn't disclose that information." _

_ “And how did you come to learn that, my dear?” Garak asked with a raised eye ridge, leaning in curiously. He knew where Quark was getting it of course; he simply hadn’t been able to bypass him due to a … disagreement the Obsidian Order has had with father. Still, for Julian to find out was impressive. Maybe he wouldn’t need his help after all. Not so much as he feared, at least. _

_ "I was so drunk and happy, I just kept asking and asking and asking, until he got fed up and told me, sure I wouldn't remember the next day. I was almost passed out at his bar, after all. So drunk and sleepy." Julian gave him the most innocent look. _

_ “You really are quite devious. It turns out I have nothing to teach you after all.” _

_ "Oh, I think stealing secrets from Quark barely compares to getting State secrets, so I'd really like you to bestow your knowledge on me." _

_ He poked Garak playfully, pouting a bit and then grinned and twisted around so they were face to face, pressing a kiss close to his lips. Oh, Garak knew what he was doing. Julian was a manipulative bastard when he wanted to be, moving around him and trying to distract him with his charms. _

_ Garak raised an eye ridge and smirked brightly at him. Two could play the game, after all. “I don't know, I admire your Federation naivety.” _

_ "I can keep looking naive while I steal secrets with a better technique, you know." _

_ “Yes, but I like the genuineness of it.” Garak teased as he pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Who else will find all those silver linings for me?” _

_ "You just fear I may be a better spy than you." _

_ “Maybe. Then you wouldn’t need me at all.” _

_ "I don't know, I like the feel of your scales, so I may want to keep you." Julian now was fully sprawled over Garak, smiling and giving him his sweetest look. _

_ “Good, good. So for the first lesson, seducing your target.” _

_ "Oh, as I did with you?" Julian moved faster than a human should be strictly able to and straddled him, chuckling softly. _

_ “Yes, but someone less like me. Someone who wasn’t seducing you already.” _

_ "Someone with bad taste, you mean?" _

_ “Let’s call it that.” Suddenly Garak looked utterly disinterested in him, hands folding behind his head. _

_ "Oh, this will be fun." Julian's whole attitude changed, suddenly looking innocent and a bit lost. "Excuse me, I seem to have missed my shuttle." _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kuros are love! we're a bit behind answering but we promise we'll soon reply to everything! <3 Lately work and real life have been crazy.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian goes to the date with Neria, and Garak gets to watch his spy skills as they finish unravelling what happened to the town and what is she really after.
> 
> \-------------
> 
> _Jadzia smiled warmly and let out an amused snort, crossing her arms at Garak's side. "You really changed him. The Julian that came to the station fresh from the academy would have never been able to do that. Wanted to believe he could, but he hadn't in him."_
> 
> _“I simply helped him to realize his full potential.” Garak answered fondly, thinking back to the young man he had first met._
> 
> _"And not a tiny bit of jealousy there, mister Garak?" she smirked. She was sure that rather than jealous, he was feeling proud. If anyone on the station adored Julian, it was Garak, and knowing Cardassian habits and courtship, this was probably all very exciting for him._
> 
> _“Oh, no, Dax. I imagine this is what it feels like to be a teacher sending his students off into the world on their own for the first time. I can’t wait to see what he’ll be able to do.”_

Kira looked at Julian with an expression somewhere between amusement and worry, as Garak fussed around him and finished the last touches of his bajoran suit. 

"Are you sure you'll be fine, doctor? She may very well wake up if you push too hard, and she is a trained Cardassian assassin." Kits frowned tightly, shaking her head. She didn’t like this. She preferred action to all this roleplaying. 

"I'm known to have excellent bedside manners, major." Julian assured her with a grin, eyes sparkling a bit. Kira didn’t find it especially reassuring. Garak gave a final nod as he made sure the suit was perfect, needles precariously held between his teeth. "I'll be alright."

"And I'll be following his every step so I can transport to the location in case there are problems." Garak talked with the pins still held by his teeth, until he was sure the last stitches were perfect. Then put them in a pincushion and nodded. "But I trust he will be able to carry out the mission flawlessly."

"I'm glad you have such faith in his seduction skills."

If Garak noticed the sarcasm in her voice, he decided to ignore it. "And in his focus on the task at hand. Now, dear, remember how a courtship between traditional Bajorans should be? She looked like she respected the father figure, so don't push too much."

"Of course, I would never offend her or her father's sense of honor or decency."

Julian squared his shoulders, hands lying to his side as Garak finished hiding the bugs planted on him.

“And remember, I’ll be on your ear all the time, and your eyes will be mine to see what’s going on. Make me proud, my doctor.” He held his face softly between his hands before letting him go.

Julian gave him a soft bow that was neither Federation nor Bajoran with his head and left the ship, a confident expression on his face.

Once he was gone, Jadzia smiled warmly and let out an amused snort, crossing her arms at Garak's side. "You really changed him. The Julian that came to the station fresh from the academy would have never been able to do that. Wanted to believe he could, but he hadn't in him."

“I simply helped him to realize his full potential.” Garak answered fondly, thinking back to the young man he had first met. He had been all eagerness and a need to prove himself, wide-eyed but more clever than anyone gave him credit for. All he needed was someone to really believe in him to let him flourish, a skilled hand to guide him and hold him when he faltered. He was perfectly ready for the moulding, if only anyone else had been paying attention.

"And not a tiny bit of jealousy there, mister Garak?" she smirked. She was sure that rather than jealous, he was feeling proud. If anyone on the station adored Julian, it was Garak, and knowing Cardassian habits and courtship, this was probably all very exciting for him.

“Oh, no, Dax. I imagine this is what it feels like to be a teacher sending his students off into the world on their own for the first time. I can’t wait to see what he’ll be able to do.”

"I thought he was your partner, not your student." Kira shook her head, more bemused than anything else. Their relationship wasn’t like any she’d ever encountered, and yet, they made it work even when they spent half their time arguing. Against all odds, they seemed to be perfect to each other.

“He is both, though he’s my partner first and foremost. We’ve taught each other many things. In a way, I’m hoping to prove myself a worthy pupil as well.”

"Oh, I'm surprised to hear he has something to teach." Jadzia smiled fondly, but also there was curiosity in her voice.

“Compassion and curiosity, among other things.” Garak answered as though it was obvious, smiling fondly at the doorway as though he could still see Julian there. 

"Wow, the former doesn’t show easily on you." Kira noted with a wry glance over her shoulder. 

Garak shot her a slightly miffed look, not entirely sure if he should be insulted for himself or Julian. “They do for him, and that’s what matters.”

"I guess you really have a different face for us than you do for him, then."

“Just as the Constable has one for you, Major.” Garak said casually, noting with delight the way Kira looked away with a hidden smile. He did like his … friends to be happy, and Odo was something close to that. 

Garak smiled proudly as he watched Julian guide Neria to a table in the corner, but one not far away enough from the center of the room as to be suspicious or seem too disrespectful. A first date should be in a public place, after all, so that his intentions were regarded as pure.

They made small chat and laughed for a few minutes until Julian put on his most eager and innocent expression, eyes wide and curious. "So, Neria... Can I use your given name? I don’t remember you telling it to me.” 

“Oh! Oh, right, I didn’t tell you. My given name is Diliana. And yours, Naram?”

Diliana. Even her name sounded too much like Ghemor’s daughter. There was no doubt on the team as they surveyed Julian’s date. This was the lost woman. Now the only question was whether she truly believed she was Bajoran.

“My parents named me Eirem.”

“A beautiful name.” She nodded.

“So, Diliana, I was thinking, you're a follower of the old ways? I was born into the musical family, but I'm still searching for a talent in it without luck. I'm afraid my talent lies in writing, so I was thinking perhaps I should compose familiar epics. Then I can fulfill the role the Prophets bestowed on me and still use the one talent I have, since my voice is boring and my fingers are much too slow to be a performer."

She smiled widely, delighted, and clapped a bit. Either she was an amazing actress, or she really believed the persona she was showing to the world. “Oh, that sounds wonderful! I think that would be a lovely way to bring your role and your talents together. The Prophets work in mysterious ways, and they must have gifted you in writing for a reason.”

"And what about you? Have the Nerias always been vedeks?"

"Yes, my father raised me in the old traditions, and we’ve always guarded one temple or another. Luckily I've always felt a deep passion for both religion and history."

"Should I go talk to him to be granted the right to pursue you?"

Garak smiled at that, gazing affectionate. Julian was slowly trying to poke at her constructed personality, and in a way that was so fitting for his Bajoran character! Truly outstanding. Every time she said something, he’d throw out another question, something that forced her to search on her memories. At some point it had to go back to the point when she was not Diliana, and then the dissonance may appear. A large enough influx of fake memories, and perhaps...

"Oh! I - that's quite forward." She smiled just a bit more gingerly than before, something wary in her gaze.

"Oh, oh no, no, it was never my intention.” It actually was, but of course she didn’t need to know it. “I wouldn't want to overstep. Though I'm sure the patriarch of your clan would like me." He winked and grinned in the same cheesy way he did in his holoprograms. Garak swallowed down an annoyed sigh at that.

"Oh, right of course. I am sure my father would appreciate such a charming young man. He's always enjoyed a good epic."

"Does Ghemor?" Dax asked Kira and Garak with a raised eyebrow.

Kira smiled, amused as she tilted her head to the right a bit. “Not that I know of.”

Julian took her hand with a worried look in his eyes. "I sense a but coming along. Why is that? don't you want to introduce me to him? Am I going too fast?"

"It's just that, um, now is such a busy time for us, with me completing my training and the winter festival approaching."

He didn’t let go of her hand until their food arrived, fingers lingering a bit too long. Again Kira looked at Garak with a raised eyebrow, but he seemed enraptured by the scene, smiling at Julian’s every retort or movement.

Julian started to eat, head slightly bowed but eyes fixed on hers. On the station, he’d avoid keeping his gaze on any face for too long, always jumping from one thing to the other to hide that particular trait of him, but here, he knew what he had to do. Who he had to be.

"I’m sorry. I didn't want to sound so eager, Diliana. I'm surprised to hear you're not yet ordered. You move with the ease of someone with years on the trade."

"He didn't have that silver tongue when he was trying to seduce me." Jadzia snorted.

"He honed it through months of practice. I'm not an easy man to seduce, after all." Garak snorted back.

"Wow, I thought it was the other way around."

“It was, but I made him practice.”

Julian waited for her answer as he idly scratched his ear. Even with his enhanced brain and his steel resolution, listening to both conversations and not snorting at the one on his ear was proving difficult.

“Hmm, I was... I had too many questions in school. I’ve always been curious.” Diliana smiled. “The vedeks didn’t consider me focused enough to get ordered until recently.”

"It showed, considering how much you knew about history. Usually I have no one to share that passion with. I wonder how many hours you must have devoted to studying, to have such expertise.” Julian grinned a little, gaze almost taking on a note of awe as he spoke. It wasn’t entirely faked — she’d memorized a truly impressive amount, whether it be for her mission or simple pleasure. 

"No, me either. It's nice, having someone I can be myself with." 

Again there was a strange expression on her face, even as she ignored the question about her studies. If the knowledge had been planted rather than learned, poking at it too much would be risky. Garak felt like kissing Julian for his ability to press again and again at her.

Julian looked down at his plate as in deep thought. "Are we really ourselves, though? I always wonder if the way our system works makes us become what we're meant to be or what we're told to be, Diliana. What are your thoughts on the matter?" Again, a little nudge. Maybe she’d take the bait and stutter.

“Hmm, you think? I’ve always wondered if there was something else I was meant to do, something more.” Diilana admitted with a small, almost nervous smile. Her head was beginning to hurt. Again. She wondered if she’d have an attack in the middle of the date, and breathed deeply to calm down, to make sure she was ok.

Julian kept talking but she didn’t quite understand it, and only when he grabbed her hand did she snap out of it.

“Are you feeling alright?” He looked concerned, and part of him, the part that was a doctor was. But the part that Garak had trained, who had read all there was to know about brainwashing techniques just last night, knew he was doing what he had to. That the lives of all the innocent people in the town, and maybe even Diliana’s, depended on him carrying his mission.

Her smile was forced now, even as she shook her head to get her thoughts away from it. “Yes, yes, perfectly. Just a bit of a headache. What were you saying?”

"I was wondering, what would you be if you weren't destined to be a Vedek? you already know I'd be a poet, after all."

“I think I’d be...” she trailed off, an uncertain look coming across her face.

"Mmm, I think you have the face of a... maybe a sculptor? or a politician, maybe, fighting for the rights of your people." He teased, pushing a bit further and chuckled. He was closer to getting her to slip. On his ear, he heard Garak snort and a noise that seemed like an elbow crashing on his ribs, probably Kira’s.

“A politician? Me? That’s hard to imagine. I’m so quiet, I think I would have to find a different way to fight for my people. Something subtle.”

"Have you ever seen a human spy movie? Suddenly I pictured you as one of those, infiltrating and stealing valuable documents, blending with the people without anybody knowing your real identity." He snickered, as if the image was hilarious.

She laughed too, but far more uncomfortably, her eyes widening a fraction. Her pupils dilated for a second, and then they returned back to normal, leaving her with a confused expression and an even bigger headache. Why was this happening to her again?

“He’s good.” Jadzia whispered, still a bit surprised.

“I told you he was.” Garak looked at the screen with unguarded adoration. Yes, none of them knew how brilliant and amazing Julian was, how skilled he was at hiding things. They all bought his façade, the mask he put on for them, not even wondering if it was all too seamless to be true, as he had back in the day.

"As if there was something for a spy to steal in a temple." Julian laughed as if he was oblivious. "What would they steal, the old walls decorations? Religious papers from them?"

“Artifacts. Some as a symbolic blow, some because... they have power. Real power. The Cardassians know.”

"I thought those were just myths."

“All myths come from a seed of truth, Eirem.” Her tone was different, less innocent. More controlled. She wondered where her headache had gone, but it felt like it belonged to someone else now.

“Just like all lies?”

"I suppose. It's just...” She shook her head, as if coming back to her senses. “Sorry, I shouldn't talk about that. I haven't been able to see them with my own eyes anyway, not yet."

"Of course not, I imagine that would only come after the ordering ceremony."

"Yes, I'm really looking forward to it. It's rumored there's an... nevermind. Probably those are just rumors after all." She looked back at her plate. Why was she telling him this?

"An orb, you mean? I heard those rumors as well, but didn't really believe them either. Imagine that! it would be an amazing discovery."

She felt her voice belonged to someone else as she talked. Why was the mention of the orb making her feel so wary? "Yes, yes, a missing orb. That could change Bajor forever. Or more."

Julian fought the smile that felt like coming to his lips. He’d done it. He’d cracked her walls and her mask and was starting to peek into the mystery.

"I'm sure the Cardassians would have found it if there were one more orb. They stole so many things from us, after all, and orbs were such a trophy."

“You think? I suspect that we hid it better than that, Eirem. Cardassians aren’t nearly as clever as they think they are, we haven’t had an ordering ceremony in years here, and the relics can only be unearthed by the leaders of the orders.”

That was the missing piece.

Only an ordered leader could come across the orb.

That was why Iliana was placed there, why the records were forged, why the walls looked old but also like they had been cracked, rebuilt, put back together again and again. Julian’s mind raced, and he was sure Garak’s did too. Probably the original town had been bombed and wiped out, only for the Cardassians to discover the orb was beyond reach, so their punishment had been rebuilding it stone by stone, mounting the façade, to retrieve the Orb whatever the cost. That was it.

"That goes without saying, Diliana, Cardassians are so full of themselves, it’s ridiculous." Julian heard a choked laugh from Kira and a snort from Garak in his ear. Oh, he’d never hear the end of it back on the ship. In his defense, it was what his undercover identity demanded true for several people that Garak hated, like Dukat. "But they were ruthless and convinced of the Orbs’ value."

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t have missed one. And if they did ... it would be our duty to protect it from them. All of us.”

"Do you have any idea what powers this Orb could have?"

"Me? Not especially, but I'm sure it must be something special, to need such a strong protection."

"I wish I could be in front of an Orb. I heard the experience is quite unique."

"I haven't been in front of one either."

"Maybe soon you'll get to be. That is an honor Vedeks alone have, isn't it?"

"In this region, yes. I heard in the former Terok Nor people get to see Orbs just as if it was a normal thing." She frowned, even as her expression took a more normal look. Her headache was receding as she talked of things she felt surer of. "It takes out the mystery and honor of it."

“Maybe so, though on Deep Space 9 I believe the Emissary -“

"He's a fake figure. Soon he'll show his true face." She seemed suddenly enraged, all her face contorting. For a moment, Julian could easily picture her as a furious Cardassian, spluttering insults, her dark hair falling from one of those complicated hairdos they sported as she moved swiftly in her rage.

"Seems she doesn't like you, Ben." Jadzia elbowed him.

"Julian, careful now, Bajorans don't flirt like Cardassians and we don’t want your date to storm out. Don't push too much." Garak warned him in his ear.

“A fake?” Julian seemed slightly shocked, but then leaned in with a small, curious smile, and lowered his voice to a conspiratorial one. “It does seem rather odd, after all — someone who isn't even Bajoran being the Emissary. Raises all kinds of questions. Why is the Federation even here?”

"Exactly! We might be going from one oppressor to the next!" Suddenly she seemed to realize she was being rude. "I'm sorry, politics are not quite a first date topic."

After that, the night went on without incidents. Julian had all the information he needed, after all.

Julian came back to their ship, smirking brightly as he gave a tiny wave to the others. “I think I have some information.”

Garak's eyes were shining. He leaned to his ear, whispering in Kardassi. "I may just marry you."

Julian kissed him softly on the lips, smiling against them, and not paying attention to the noises his crewmates were making around him, from Kira snorting to Jadzia whistling approvingly. He was sure that little wet sound was Sisko’s eyes rolling. "Choose a spot and I’m game." 

Sisko cleared his throat. "I think we can say the mission was successful. Garak here was speculating that the Bajorans in the library and the council are agents but not sleepers, while the aspiring vedek is, still waiting for the chance to find where the Orb is. We found records of a large massacre that happened in this town in Bajoran documents, and yet, in the library there are no mentions to it."

Julian nodded at that. “Right, then, yes. I think I put the pieces together as well, and the Cardassians miscalculated when trying to steal the Orb, so this mission is also something of a punishment.”

Julian told them his suspicions as he searched frantically in the pads they had laying around, and as they analyzed the documents, it became obvious he was right. Some of the agents may have been there for as long as 5 years, waiting since a bit before the end of the war. They were hoping to retrieve that sacred element so they could go back home, look again as themselves instead of having their enemies' faces peering at them in the mirror.

"Now, you'll have to find the location of the Orb just as Neria does. Her ordering is due in two days, and I'm sure that's when she'll remember who she is. Garak, Kira, doctor, you’ll have to go as a family again, be there to bear witness."

"And all the other agents will be there to help her get the Orb to Cardassia." Added Garak with a tight look. They were certainly outnumbered.

"Our mission will be stopping her once she gets it." Added Jadzia.

Kira let out a small laugh. "How wonderful, fighting off a whole group of Cardassians."

"Don't worry, I'm working on getting Federation support on this." Sisko promised with a knowing grin. If anyone could pull that off, it would be him. 

  
  


6 months ago.

_ Diliana felt her head spinning again. The pain was so strong she felt sick to her stomach. The doctor insisted the pills would help, that it was because of her head injury, but the pain was getting worse and worse every time she tried to remember things from her childhood. She couldn’t even remember when she had injured her head. _

_ Sometimes she saw flashes of kind eyes and a gentle voice, but she couldn't place it. Her father's voice was different, his hair, his skin, and yet... _

_ She tumbled out of her room, white streaks flashing in front of her eyes as the nausea overcame her. "Call the doctor. Please. Help." She leaned on one of the monks, trying to grasp the memories that kept popping in her mind. _

_ Something was wrong.  _

_ Then she passed out. _

_ When she woke up, the doctor was with her. She was in her room again, lying on the bed. _

_ “You’re having nightmares, likely a result of your injuries from the war.” _

_ "I was... I wasn't fighting in the war, was I? I... I am confused." _

_ "You were in the war, Diliana. Remember. That's how you got hit. Don't worry, these medicines will help you with your head and memories." The doctor injected her on the neck with a hypo and suddenly her memories were clearer. _

_ “Of course, yes, I... I was caught in the attack on our village. I was ... I was doing something ...” _

_ "Yes, you were playing inside the temple, remember? That's the day you swore to follow your father’s footsteps and become a vedek. You told me that story several times. Your wish is to be in front of the Healing Orb." _

_ “Of course. I want ... I want to help others. Bring them some sense of security.” _

_ "Which is why you're pursuing this career, dear. You know it, you were just forgetting, but now you remember again. Medicine will help you, and the Orb will clear your mind." _

_ “Of course. Thank you, doctor. I just have to stay focused on my path and to my mission from the Prophets.” _

_ When she fell asleep, the doctor went to talk with the librarian. "She's beginning to need the treatment more and more frequently. She may soon become compromised." _

_ “We’ll have to act fast then. We can’t postpone her ordering.” _

_ “We can’t force the valve either, and you know it.” _

_ Last time they’d tried, half the town had been blown to oblivion, and yet the vault stood as strong and impenetrable as ever, which was why they had planted a sleeper. It was why they had been banished to this forsaken land, away from Cardassia, to wear the faces of their enemies as a memento of their shame. _

_ “Then she either becomes a full vedek soon, or we may have to kill her and bomb this whole damn town, this time for good, Orbs be damned.” _

_ They stared at each other. _

_ “Don’t tempt me, Pranam. Don’t tempt me.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are love!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of the ceremony arrives, and all Garak and Julian can do is hope to find a way to stop the Cardassians before disaster unfolds.
> 
> \--------
> 
> _Julian walked by Garak’s side, smiling warmly at him as they entered the hall for the vedek ordering. Neria was wearing ceremonial robes, her hair tied up in a hairdo that was more reminiscent of styles on Cardassia than Bajor. The hall was packed, half the town waiting to see the wonder that laid under the ground. Half a town held hostage for whatever was about to happen, Julian thought darkly. He made quick calculations of how many of them he would be able to save if at least 4 of the attendants were armed agents. The numbers weren’t good._
> 
> _Garak and Julian bowed in front of the nervous looking girl. Watching the excited glimmer in her eyes, it was easy to forget the kind of tragedy that was soon to happen._
> 
> _He did a small gesture for Julian. Two more. That made 4 agents, at least. Considering how long she’d been posing as Bajoran, Garak suspected there was another agent, a doctor. Julian made a tapping noise on his ear for Sisko to hear. Five cardassians._

One year and a half ago.

_ "Elim, I wouldn't be able to seduce someone to get information! that's so... cruel." Julian bolted to a sitting position on Garak’s bed, expression horrified at the things Garak was explaining to him as if they were just part of everyday conversation. One thing was toying with that idea while watching a bad James Bond movie, just one more of their games, another was thinking of it as something he’d do in real life. Something that Garak could do in real life. _

_ "It's a common practice, dear. I've done it dozens of times." _

_ "For some reason, now I feel very insecure about our relationship." Julian raised an eyebrow, smiling a bit teasingly. The idea certainly repulsed him, and at a point he also wondered if he had information worthy enough to fake a relationship with him for half a year. He highly doubted it, knowing himself.  _

_ As if reading his mind, Garak chuckled softly. "Don't worry, you don't have enough espionage value for me to carry on for this long." _

_ "Or so you say. Maybe you're just keeping me close in case you find a use for me later. Maybe you’d sell me for my augmented status." His voice had a scared edge in spite of himself. It wasn’t about Garak, not really. He trusted him. That didn’t change the fact he’d kept this secret for half his life. but he realized his secret was in the hands of the most dangerous man on the station, and that could only be a good thing. Probably.  _

_ "Maybe so. What would you do then, Julian?" Garak stretched lazily on the bed, dare on his eyes. While he was confident Julian was not that insecure about their relationship, if the human insisted so much on trying to be a spy, then, well, this was a trial by fire. Either he was able to carry this sort of thing, or he’d better stick to medicine. _

_ "I don't know. I am petty enough to try then to get information out of you and sell it, perhaps."  _

_ "Is that all you can think of? Try to be a little creative, dear." _

_ "What, are you hoping I'll try to go and break your heart, your legs or your quarters? I may even convince Sisko to throw you out of the station." Julian tried to sound cool, but there was something choked at the back of his throat. Fear rising at the thought of Garak being sent away, at the possibility of it happening to either of them if they made the wrong move. _

_ “Now you’re thinking like a true spy.”  _

_ Garak kissed him softly on the cheek, holding him closer, but Julian didn’t react to it, body rigid. Finally Julian turned to him, voice barely a whisper. "Would you do that to me if I stopped being useful?" _

_ "No." Garak admitted, trying to meet Julian's gaze this time. Had he pushed too much? _

_ "No?" Julian was stiff in his arms, fear now coursing through him. He was so used to people getting bored of him, annoyed, tired…  _

_ Suddenly he felt cold and scaly hands on his cheeks, touch gentle. “What’s wrong?” _

_ "I know I am not the... easiest man to love. Sooner or later you'll get tired of me. You may do to me all those things I said." Julian tried to make it sound light and airy, and not like the words of a weak man who couldn’t quite trust any love offered to him. He didn’t want to be that man.  _

_ “No, I won’t.” Garak said with such confidence that Julian blinked. “Maybe you’re not easy for other people to love, but you are for me. There are many things that have made my life tiring or difficult, but you’ve never been one of them.” _

_ "So I can hope you won't destroy my quarters or throw me out of an airlock any time soon?" Julian asked with a sheepish look, running a hand through Garak’s hair in a silent apology.  _

_ "You don't need to worry about either, my dear. I'd sooner be pushed out of one myself." _

_ "I thought you had a better survival instinct than that." He gave him a weak smile, still feeling the insecurity grasping him. _

_ "Not when it comes to you." Garak sighed as he ran his thumb across his lips. “Never when it comes to you.”  _

_ "I still fail to imagine why." _

_ "Because I love you." He’d imagined the confession would take place in a life or death situation, or maybe in the middle of some grand scheme. Not in his quarters, far sooner in their relationship that he’d thought it be, just laying at his side, fearing losing him as he’d never feared before about anybody else. _

_ Now Julian's smile grew a bit more genuine. "And you're so very certain I am not just trying to seduce you to get some dark information out of you?" _

_ "Hmm, maybe you are. After all, why else would you end in a grumpy Cardassian's bed?" _

_ "Mmm, are you saying maybe I was bluffing when I said seducing a target was immoral?" _

_ "Quite possibly. After all, that James Bond you're so fond of does it all the time." _

_ "Too bad, because I think I fell in love with my target, then. Do you think I am a failure as a spy?" He pulled Garak closer, leaning back on the bed. There was still a shaky quality to his voice, some lingering hurt Garak wasn’t privy to yet. _

_ "If you are, then your failure is my greatest victory." _

_ "Mmmm, victorious Elim. Not a pompous title at all." _

_ "No, no, not at all. But could you blame me, when I got such a prize?" _

_ "See? You talk to me like that, and then you expect me to be able to seduce other people when I'm on a mission?" _

_ "After I teach you how? Of course." _

_ "And you won't be jealous at all? No matter what I have to do for the mission?" Julian almost purred, hovering Garak and planting small kisses along his face. His inability to stay still never stopped to amaze Garak. It was as if the younger man was made up of nervous energy that needed to go out however it could. _

_ “Of course not, my dear. Because I know you’ll be thinking of me.” _

_ "All the time. Trying to make sure you're proud of me." Julian kissed him. _

  
  


Julian walked by Garak’s side, smiling warmly at him as they entered the hall for the vedek ordering. Neria was wearing ceremonial robes, her hair tied up in a hairdo that was more reminiscent of styles on Cardassia than Bajor. The hall was packed, half the town waiting to see the wonder that laid under the ground. Half a town held hostage for whatever was about to happen, Julian thought darkly. He made quick calculations of how many of them he would be able to save if at least 4 of the attendants were armed agents. The numbers weren’t good. 

Garak and Julian bowed in front of the nervous looking girl. Watching the excited glimmer in her eyes, it was easy to forget the kind of tragedy that was soon to happen.

“Thank you for welcoming my father and I to your ceremony. Having us as guests for this most important moment of your life will forever make us proud.”

"The honor is mine, by having you. Is your sister coming as well?" Neria smiled at them.

“She’s speaking to some of the Vedeks in the hallway. She has always been so pious.”

Garak and Julian exchanged glances. There were a lot more people there than they expected, and several were from the town council. Definitely they'd have to take care of them first, whether it was only Neria or all of them who’d activate once the order leaders brought the Orb. Julian made small gestures with his fingers to Garak, telling him the predictions. Best case scenario, only Neria and the librarian were agents, but knowing Cardassians, there were at least 3 more lurking around.

In their ears, Sisko’s voice told them he was in position with a small Federation support group, and to tell him when they in need of backup. Julian wondered if they’d have the time before the shooting started, as he smiled warmly and approached the council, looking fondly at them.

Garak bowed to them and let the older vedeks touch his ear. Something in their touch was not right. He did a small gesture for Julian.  _ Two more. _ That made 4 agents, at least. Considering how long she’d been posing as Bajoran, Garak suspected there was another agent, a doctor. Julian made a tapping noise on his ear for Sisko to hear.  _ Five cardassians. _

"She must really be a loved member of the community, to have you here for her ordering." Garak looked positively radiant.

“Yes, she and her father are very beloved. She spends a lot of time helping our little town regrowth after the occupation.”

"I'm surprised her father is not here. I hoped to meet him, to be honest." Julian bowed his head lower, for them to understand what his intentions were.

“Tragic, but I’m sure he must have been so busy. Have you seen the gardens here?”

"Oh, yes, quite a marvel. My father and I loved them." Not to mention they pinpointed 10 ways someone could hide and kill them from there. There was no sign of the cardassian doctor, so he may very well be there. 

“Of course. Of course. Would you like to take a turn around them with Neria?”

"Oh, I'm sure she's stressed enough with the ceremony, so my father and I will just wait for it to finish."

He got closer to Garak, and made a small gesture with his hand.  _ Be careful, they are armed.  _ The telltales of concealed phasers were there. He scanned the room with his eyes trying to find more people with arms. He counted 3 more.  _ 7 agents. _

Garak gave a small glance and took his hand and squeezed it twice. He made one last gesture, tapping the back of his hand.  _ Nine.  _ And still no sign of the doctor. “Yes, we feel so honored to be here. My son and I, both. Neria is such a special person.”

“Oh, you’ve no idea.”

They kept talking until a gong made everybody grow quiet and pay attention to the novices.

Neria entered the room, dressed in the traditional robes, and she and the other 2 newly ordered monks knelt as the oldest member of the order brought out a box. As he opened it and Neria took her turn to look into the orb, her stance suddenly changed. 

She had activated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand we're only one chapter away from the end! Sorry for the delays, while we had the story mostly written, lately life is getting between fanfic and us.
> 
> Comments and kudos are love!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dance is finally over. Iliana Ghemor is now awake, and all they can do is try to avoid her stealing the orb from Bajor.

Neria smiled brightly, but instead of looking into the orb, she closed the box. She placed her hands around it, taking it out of its base. She turned and as she held the artifact up, the librarian and governor stood at her side, pulling out their weapons.

"Captain, she's activated. A little help here would be appreciated." Garak whispered through his comm.

“We’re coming with backup. Keep them in the room and try to avoid casualties until we arrive.” Sisko said and then the message cut off. Julian suddenly rolled to his feet, expression grim. He hated having to take a phaser in his hands, but they were two against at least eight, probably some more.

"Easier said than done. I still have the doctor unaccounted for." Julian whispered softly, swallowing down a few curses. He commed Kira, knowing she’d have more information. "Mayor, are the doors locked? We have a hostage situation here, and 37 Bajorans at risk."

“The doors are secure for now, but we need to be fast. I don’t know how long they’ll hold.”

"Quite the opposite, Major. I was thinking of getting the civilians out. We can deal with the Cardassians."

“Right. give me three minutes and I’ll do my best.”

“Elim, go help Kira. I can handle Neria, you make sure to take down the guards.” Garak was about to argue, but Julian shook his head. “No time, go with her. I trust you to have my back.”

“And yet again you use that word with me,  _ trust.  _ You never learn, do you. _ ”  _ Garak nodded and ran to Kira, who snapped forward at the same time one of the guards came near her, twisting around to knock him off his feet with a swift kick.

"Major, I was starting to wonder where you were." Garak smiled placidly at her side. She hadn't even heard him get close. Once again, she was thankful he was on her side and not with the Cardassians.

“And I was starting to wonder if these guys were ever going to wake up. I’ll take the three to the right, keep an eye on the ones in front of you. Where’s doctor Bashir?”

"Julian is trying to reach Iliana. He wants to try to talk some sense into her." He looked around and shot to stun the librarian. "Where are the captain and Dax? We need their backup to evacuate the civilians. If they weren’t so focused on the Orb, we’d have a massacre in our hands already."

“They’re at the rear, they’re on the way in - and there they are.” Kira answered with a small grin as Jadzia suddenly slid into the room, aiming her phaser and doing a quick shot at one of the guards.

She grabbed one of the novices by the arm. "Tell the others to go out, I'll protect you. The Federation is out there to assist you."

They left Dax at the door, making their way back to where Julian was. There were far more agents than they had counted on, and phaser fire rained on everybody from all directions.

“I do prefer using words in these situations, you know. Phasers lack a certain... subtlety.” Garak sighed as he shot down one of the so-called vedeks. “But one has to do what he has to, right?”

"I'll cover your back. It would be a shame if you died looking Bajoran, wouldn't it?" Kira smiled at him, eyes flashing with with amusement..

“Truly a horror. Thank you, Major.”

"I still think you look better this way." Her smile vanished, gaze narrowing as she looked past him . The one Cardassian that was missing was there, running towards Julian.

Garak leaped forward, shooting and hoping his aim was still at least somewhat decent. He hadn’t practiced in some time.

The man smiled as he ducked, turning to his assailants. "Good aim for a Bajoran."

“Mine’s better.” Kira called suddenly as she shot at him over Garak’s shoulder.

"Major! I had him cornered!" Garak pouted, but kept running towards Julian. "We have 6 left between us and the doctor. We need to take care of them to protect Julian and Iliana."

She gave a quick glance around them. There were still several fake Bajorans around them, firing at the civilians and the Federation troops. “Right. Keep your eyes opened. I’ll handle that one.”

"I'll go forward then. Watch my back." 

Kira sighed as she pushed the soldier closest to her away from him, gasping as the phaser hit him.

Garak shot one more, letting out a relieved sigh. They weren’t outnumbered anymore. "Four to go. Dax, hurry up!" He pushed a civilian to the side as phaser shots rain on them, using a fallen column to protect himself. Kira crawled at his side. "I'm afraid those last four don't want to go as easily as their other friends, Major."

A young Bajoran stood between them and the agents, paralized in his fear and trembling. The Cardassian snickered and pointed his phaser at him.

“Boy! Move!” Garak shouted, not able to leave the position he was in as the other ones attacked him and Kira.

Dax slid down to the ground, protectively throwing one arm in front of her face and shooting the lizard in the leg from underneath the pillar.

"Those last three are all yours, lady and gentleman. I'll finish evacuating." She took the terrified Bajoran with her.

“Of course. Have fun, Dax.” Kira sighed a little as she leaped over one of the destroyer columns, easily dodging pieces of rubble.

More shots rang out across the room, and they had to seek refuge, not even able to peek from behind the column to have a clearer view of their positions.

"Do you think shooting the roof to make it fall on them will be anathema?" Garak said to her. He could very well take the last three like that, although then getting to Julian would be a bit harder.

“I think that the vedeks who actually serve here will be willing to let it go just this once.”

"I could give you some cutting remarks about how religious precepts change with need, but I'm willing to keep my ears where they are." 

He shot the roof and heard how the shooting sound turned into terrified screams to then become eerie silence, and sprinted through the rubble, coughing, until he reached Julian, who was trying to reason with Iliana.

Julian was standing there, in the middle of the disaster, and addressed the woman standing in the center of the room. "Iliana Ghemor!"

“Yes, and you would be? Somehow I doubt you’re a meek Bajoran believer.” She looked down at him, cornered but still refusing to let go of the Orb.

"I met your father."

“My - my father?” Iliana stopped for a moment, the words feeling ripped from her throat. Her memories were still scrambled, and she fought to hold on to the ones of the Cardassian one, not the Bajoran she was now not sure had ever existed. 

She was conscious probably she’d been in the field for too long, had become too mentally and physically confused, but the mission came first, no matter how terrible her headache was, how much she was afraid that she might be making the wrong decision.

"The war is over, Iliana. Your people left Bajor several years ago. Cardassia has no claim over the Orbs now, and your father thinks you're dead. Let's call this all out." 

“No! I have a mission. What do you know of Cardassia?” She spit at his feet. “What do you know of the sacrifices we all do for her?”

"I, for one, was born there." Garak took a step forward, standing at Julian’s side. "And I know you've been stationed here years, but if you carry on with your mission, it will cause a diplomatic incident. You won't be able to take an orb out of Bajor without the government knowing. The war is over, Iliana, and we left this planet alone and we have other problems to focus on. If you do this, you won’t be working for Cardassia but against her."

“Maybe. But maybe that will be a boon to Cardassia in the long run. It may be just what we need.”

"Whatever the case, Cardassia can't steal Bajor's heritage right now, Iliana. Drop your weapons, you and your troops. Soon the Federation will enter the room and it's up to you to walk away, free or not."

“The Federation — who are you all, really?”

"I am an Obsidian Operative who's telling you what's best for you. Now, drop your weapons and we can talk about this."

Iliana set her weapons down, defeated, and Julian slowly started to approach her with a kind smile, setting his weapons down as well as a sign of good faith.

"No!" The cardassian doctor, now clearly furious, pointed his phaser at Julian, only to fall dead where he stood.

Garak just gave him a cold stare. Iliana understood what he was then, and for a moment her blood went cold. He was not joking when he mentioned the Order.

"I said drop your weapons, my dears. Any other wants to try their luck?"

Julian couldn’t help flinching as he watched the man fall, shaking his head a bit. He knew that other Cardassians laid on the floor too, some merely stunned and some already lost to them. Even in this situation, he couldn’t help feeling a terrible guilt at not being able to rush to help them. Not yet anyway. “Please, don’t make us do anything else. We will, but we don’t want to.”

"Our mission is more important than the peace treaty." Iliana still shook her head, trying to decide.

“Your mission will only hurt Cardassia.” Julian told her tightly.

"A bajoran like you would never know."

“I’m not a Bajoran, either. I’m here undercover to stop your mission before you ruin everything we’ve been working for.” Julian didn’t add that he wasn’t Cardassian. No need to muddle a half truth with a complete lie, as Garak had taught him.

Finally Sisko got to their side, with the Federation troops as backup. "Let go of the orb. This incident is over."

"Things have changed, Iliana. Give up." Julian gently took the box out of her hands. "Let's go to our ship so I can give all of us our real faces back."

“All right.” Iliana allowed, knowing that she had been topped. She didn’t have a way out. She closed her eyes and waited for them to escort her out of the ceremony room.

Sisko put the Orb back in place reverently, talking with the monks that still remained there as he did so. "I'm the Emissary, everything will be alright. The prophets have been honored."

Julian led Iliana to the ship, holding her arm firmly. He wasn’t about to take any chances. He knew it was hardly necessary, being that Garak had his phaser pointed at her back, but if he could help one less drop of blood to fall to the floor, he was glad.

"Am I a prisoner?" she asked coldly.

“I’m not sure. Probably not. It’s simpler to return you to Cardassia and let them deal with you.”

"I'll return as a failure. You should have killed me."

“And you can’t change or regain your honor at all in death. And your father misses you, Iliana. You have people who care about you.”

The door opened and they entered the ship, taking Iliana to medbay first. Julian swallowed with horror as her mind was scanned. And to think the wire had seemed inhuman. He’d be able to fix some of the damage, but not all of it, so either she’d live with dual memories, or terrible headaches, best case scenarios.

"You won't convince me to defect, if that's your intention."

“I wouldn’t try.” Julian assured her as he started working on his own nose. 

She required a lot more than just an aesthetic treatment, and would need time and work in a more advanced environment, like his medbay on the station. There was little he could do with the tools he had now, the Bajoran skin ingrained on her.

As his real face started to unveil, she gave a hopeless scoff. "Somehow I was expecting you to be a Cardassian."

“I’ll take that as a compliment, but I fear I’m merely a simple human.” Julian finished his own mask and let out a sigh of relief, before turning to Garak.

"Me, on the other hand, I hope mine won't be a face you despise too much." Garak quipped with a wide grin. 

Julian removed the face first, smiling fondly when Garak’s own scales revealed themselves. “There, that’s better.”

"I thought my ear would fall out, dear." He sighed as the earring was removed and massaged his lobes with vigor. "I'd rather have my brain scrambled than ever wearing something on my ears again."

“So I shouldn’t get you earrings for your birthday?”

"Tell me you humans don't exchange earrings as marriage vows, or I may take back my proposal."

"No, no, just rings, darling." Julian promised as he kissed him lightly on his eye ridge. 

"I guess you really are a bit Cardassian, considering you were willing to seduce me for a mission." Iliana sounded bitter. There was a reason she had thought he was of the same species she was, after all. The sheer callousness of what he’d done...

He glanced over at Iliana, smiling apologetically. "I wish it hadn't come to that, Iliana. If I hurt you -"

"Never apologize when you're obtaining information." She rolled her eyes.

"But you just said -" Julian cut himself off with a huff as he started working on her face. "I'm a doctor, not a spy."

"You're both now, my dear." Garak smiled at his side. "But she's right. You can't worry about the feelings of a target. Yet, I may be getting soft, since I worried enough to contact Ghemor. He'll be here in a couple days to retrieve his daughter, so make sure to get her face right."

"Of course, what kind of hack do you think I am?" Julian scoffed as he started removing her facial disguise. It was not a lot what he could do from there, but at least he could give her a bit of normalcy back. He gave her a small smile, shaking his head a bit. "Well, I'd prefer to go back to being just a doctor for now."

"How long have I been missing?"

"6 years."

She nodded, looking down at her hands sadly. They looked so smooth, so featureless, and yet she had trouble remembering how they should really look like. "And my father?"

"He thinks you're dead. Major Kira was used in a plot against him, but we managed to save him, and kept looking for you."

"I ... I want to see him."

"I assure you, the feeling is mutual, Iliana." Julian finished working on her face and got her a mirror, as he prepared to go through the rest of the body.

She smiled when she saw her face, shoulders slumping in relief. It was not perfect, but it was a start.

"Cardassia is a mother that asks for too many sacrifices on her children. We'll be happy to make them worthy for once." Garak looked at her sadly. He knew far too well the personality replacement techniques.

Iliana looked at him in shock, blinking a little as she took the man in. The most terrifying agent, feeling pity for her. How low had she fallen? "I never would've expected Elim Garak to be saying those words to me."

"Most people know what to expect, few know what they really should."

“Maybe. Thank you, for calling my father.”

While the other cardassians had to be kept in the brig, Iliana was soon cleared by Odo to walk on the station, and Kira decided to take her to Quark's for a chat. 

The Cardassian woman was still a bit confused, her skin tender and bruised, but she didn’t mind. It was nothing compared to the confusion in her mind or the swirling pit of emotions going through her. She felt as though she’d betrayed something, but she wasn’t sure who. 

"I finally meet my long lost twin, it seems. We thought we'd never find you, Iliana."

“I heard about what happened. My father must have been devastated when he found out you were a kidnapped Bajoran. He always was soft-hearted.”

"Your father is the best Cardassian I've met, and you must imagine that's a lot, coming from me. Being there to tell him he had reasons to be happy was an honor."

"I'm glad that he had you as a friend, even if I don't quite understand it."

"What's so hard to understand? the war is over, and people like your father believe in peace."

“I was taught to believe that peace was never a true option.”

"Most of your people have. But people like Tekeny believe otherwise, so there may still be hope for your planet."

Kira took Iliana’s hands, and the other woman didn’t take them back. It made her feel at ease, in a world that seemed to have gone crazy around her.

“Maybe. My father is a good man. Too good sometimes, but I know that.”

"What will you do now, Iliana?"

“I’ll go home, I think, at least for now. My Cardassian home, I mean. My father deserves that much.”

"He does. And maybe you can work towards changing what's rotten in your planet as well."

"Maybe." Iliana shrugged, her expression a touch bittersweet. "Bajor is more beautiful than I expected."

"Do you still have your memories of being a Bajoran for over 6 years?"

“I do, actually. They can’t erase them — you might need the knowledge you gained after you’re activated. And in any case, I was active for too long, the damage is irreversible. I will never forget my time there or the emotions I felt toward Bajor and its people— and those were real.”

"And you'd still want to hurt those people, after being one of them for so long?"

“I ... I’m not as sure as I used to be. It feels as if I was trying to hurt a Cardassian now. I find it hard to see the difference now.”

"Good. All change starts with doubt, so it’s not a bad thing."

“Maybe not. I’m glad that I got to meet you, Kira Nerys. You were quite famous back in the day.”

"Lucky me your mission wasn’t taking me down. Certainly I wouldn't want to be attacked by someone who looks so much like me."

"No, the similarities are eerie. No wonder they fooled my father."

"Perhaps they chose you because of that. So I could be replaced afterwards."

She made an effort to remember. It was all so hard now. She was just as much Iliana as she was Neria. “I ... I can’t say it’s not possible. I was given your file to read, but I was never briefed on why.”

"I guess the fact that we're so bureaucratic when it comes to ordering vedeks saved my life."

“Yes, I suppose for once bureaucracy saved people.”

"Who'd had guessed." She smiled at her, and called Quark. "Two more glasses of Kanar!"

"I've never met a Bajoran who could stand it before."

"Just wait until I ask Quark for a round of springwine, see if I can drink you under the table."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long, long wait! the last two months have been a bit of a nightmare for both of us, but now we're back on track!
> 
> Comments and kudos are love!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are love!


End file.
